If You’ve Ever Woken Up Unable To Move, THIS Is What’s Happening To You

Sleep paralysis is the terrifying feeling of being held down after just waking up or going to sleep.
You can’t move or scream, and sometimes this paralysis is accompanied
by the certainty that someone –or something — is in the room.
Quite simply, sleep paralysis is one of the most horrifying
experiences in life, because we feel awake but can’t believe what is
happening to us.
The truth is, sleep paralysis is a biological event and there is nothing to be worried about.

You’re not dying. It’s a hiccup in the brain’s chemical soup as we transition from sleep to wakefulness.

Recurrent sleep paralysis can often be prevented by attending to lifestyle choices, but making new habits can take time.What Causes Sleep Paralysis?
The basic cause of sleep paralysis is REM atonia:

Atonia means lack of muscle tensionREM
atonia is essential for healthy sleep, else you’d wreak havoc in your
neighborhood by acting our your dreams on a nightly basis. This is no
good for you, and no good for your neighbors.As you fall asleep each
night, the electrical nerve impulses are cut off between your muscles
and your brain. Your brain can still tell your body to do stuff (such as
run away from Saruman’s dark army in yet another orc-fueled nightmare)
but your body won’t respond.

So far, so good. But what happens if you wake up and the REM atonia
remains in place, albeit only for a few seconds? This is when we trip
into the territory of sleep paralysis.So How Do You Wake Up From Sleep Paralysis Tonight?
6 ways to get out now.
Note: Because this is such a personal thing, some of these tactics
will work for you, and others won’t. Choose the ones that make the most
sense to you intuitively. Think of these strategies as tools in a
toolbox to bring out when the conditions are right. Make a plan and
resolve to remember it for the next time you wake up in sleep paralysis.

Relax your body into the paralysis. Don’t fight it forcefully, as this creates panic and increases the chance of having scary hallucinations.

Try to gently wiggle your fingers and toes. These tiny movements will eventually tell your brain that your body is awake and to stop the atonia.

Try to move your eyes by blinking and looking
around the room. Again, the goal is to establish waking-like movements
to fully awaken your brain and body together.

Try to move your lips and facial muscles.

Focus on breathing as slowly and deeply as you can. If your breathing feels restricted, remember that you have been breathing fine like this while asleep for hours.

Maintain a calm and positive mental state. Focus on
relaxing thoughts. Imagine a beach in the sun, a million miles away
from the darkness of your bedroom. Sing an upbeat song in your mind.

The Ultimate Method We know — we said 6 ways, but
this is the single best way to wake up from sleep paralysis and it’s
really in a class of its own. When you realize you are in SP, scrunch up
your face. In other words, make a face like you just smelled something
bad. Snarl and squint. Do this two or three times in a row and the
paralysis will break IMMEDIATELY. We’re not sure why it is so effective,
but unlike the pinky wiggle, this method is foolproof.

After you wake up, get out of bed immediately and turn on a light.
Wash your face with cold water. If you just stay in bed, the chance of
sliding right back into sleep paralysis is pretty high.